He even sat down, though he had not been invited to do so, as he was wont to do in the bygone happy days when they were official colleagues together.

It was Meyer's custom never to look those whom he was addressing in the face, which bashfulness deprived him, of course, of the advantage of being able to read from their countenances what impression he was making upon them.

He was therefore greatly surprised when, on finishing his speech, his Honour Judge Bordacsi roared at him in the angriest of voices-- "And why do you tell me all this ?" Mr.Meyer's spirit suddenly grew cold within him; he could not answer a word, only his mouth moved weakly up and down, like the mouth of a puppet that you pull with a string.
"What!" cried Judge Bordacsi, with a still more violent exertion of his lungs, rushing upon his unfortunate client and fixing him with frightfully distended eyes.
In his terror the unfortunate man leaped from the seat in which he had sat down unasked, and murmured tearfully-- "I humbly beg your pardon.

I came here for advice and--and protection." "How?
Do you imagine, sir, that I shall take your part ?" bawled the judge, as if he were speaking to some one who was stone deaf.
"I fancied," stammered the unfortunate pater-familias, "that the old kindliness which you formerly showed to my house----" Bordacsi did not let him finish.

"Yes, your house! In those days your house was a respectable house, but now your house is a Sodom and Gomorrah which opens its doors wide to all the fools of the town.